The World Bank has appointed Melinda Good as its new Country Director for Thailand and Myanmar, effective July 1, 2024.
Her appointment comes at an important time for both countries.
Thailand is preparing to host the 2026 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund in Bangkok, and this year the World Bank also celebrates the 75th anniversary of Thailand's membership-a seven-decade partnership to improve social and economic development.
Myanmar's development story is complex, with significant reversals in recent years due to multiple and overlapping crises.
Good's priority will be to oversee the World Bank's programs in Thailand and Myanmar and continue the institution's policy dialogues with civil society, academia, the private sector, and other partners.
Her focus for Thailand will be implementation of a new Country Partnership Framework for fiscal years 2025-2029 that will serve as a blueprint for the World Bank's support for Thailand's transformation to a sustainable high-income economy. The CPF will be aligned with the World Bank Group's mission to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet.
In Myanmar, the World Bank remains committed to supporting the country and people of Myanmar in line with its Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) Strategy. Under Good's leadership, the focus will be on delivering comprehensive analytical work and providing strategic guidance to expand assistance to the poor and vulnerable.
"I am honored to be taking on my new position as Country Director for Thailand and Myanmar and look forward to supporting the people of both countries navigate this complex global environment following the COVID-19 pandemic," Good said.
Good, a United States national, joined the World Bank in 2005 and has worked in several leadership positions, including in South Asia where she was Country Director for Afghanistan and Operations Manager in Pakistan. Before joining the World Bank, Good worked with the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines and the Millennium Challenge Corporation in Washington, D.C. She began her career as a private-sector lawyer in New York and Singapore. She has worked in South Asia, East Asia, Central Asia, the Pacific Islands, and North America.
The World Bank's knowledge-based partnership with Thailand combines cutting-edge analytics and advisory services to support the country's development agenda. This includes support for the Bank's engagement in conflict-affected areas in the southernmost provinces, and improving Thailand's business environment, fiscal and economic management. With increasing pressure from climate change, the partnership also aims to build Thailand's climate resilience and water resource management. Several collaborations with Thailand's state agencies are also underway to assess the country's innovation policies, improve education quality, and develop resilient urban infrastructure in secondary cities.
In Myanmar, the World Bank is producing in-depth analytical work, building knowledge on the ground, and making it widely available through the World Bank Myanmar Monitoring Platform. In addition, the Bank supports Myanmar's vulnerable communities through the Myanmar Community Support Project (MCSP). The MCSP, implemented by the World Food Programme and the International Committee of the Red Cross, aims to enhance food security and livelihoods in crisis-affected regions.
